Reflections on change in medical practice. The current trend to large-scale medical organizations
E. W. Saward and E. K. Gallagher
The trend in the provision of medical care to large-scale organizations is
clear. While this has been most conspicuous in hospitals, nursing homes,
and renal dialysis treatment centers, it is gathering momentum in the
practice of medicine itself. The competitive pressures for cost
containment, the ability of large medical organizations to contract
efficiently with third parties, the ample supply of newly trained
physicians seeking immediate practice, and new capital financing
opportunities are some of the many reasons for this rapid aggregation. This
will in time structurally change medical practice and the way in which it
is perceived by patients and the public.
